# Homemade Humidor



## Arcrist (Jan 15, 2006)

So I got bored today and decided to build a humidor.

I got a black and decker power drill, black and decker jigsaw, stain, polyurothane (spelling), and lots of pine boards.

I understand stain to be a problem with cigar humidors so Im only doing one coat and then poly-ing it to seal in the odor. 

So far I got the pieces cut and stained, tommorow i will seal it and build it.

Its about 15"x11"x3" big enough for about 50 cigars I would estimate. Ill get a hydrothermo from a local store and probably buy the hydro foam stuff from online. 

Ill post a pic when its done!


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## Alpedhuez55 (Dec 16, 2005)

You better get some Spanish Cedar to line it. You would not want to age cigars in Pine.


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## Jeff (Jan 2, 2005)

Sounds like a great project. Lets see the pics.


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## Arcrist (Jan 15, 2006)

Whats wrong with pine? Im not going to have super expensive cigars to hold in it, just 5 dollar ones. Im just a beginner woodworker also so Id like to start with pine and work my way to nicer stuff. 

I just started the poly coating an hour ago, I should have it all done by this afternoon. Im already thinking of a new project since I have 10 more feet of pine board. Its an addictive hobby, and not expensive if you choose cheap wood.


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## par (May 22, 2005)

Spanish cedar has anti fungal properties which will deter mold growth on your cigars. Spanish cedar also hanldles the humidity really well which the pine won't do. Just get some old cigar boxes that are made out of cedar and line the interior with it. It will help your cigars flavour and quality.


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## joed (Nov 12, 2005)

par said:


> Spanish cedar has anti fungal properties which will deter mold growth on your cigars. Spanish cedar also hanldles the humidity really well which the pine won't do. Just get some old cigar boxes that are made out of cedar and line the interior with it. It will help your cigars flavour and quality.


:tpd:

That's the deal - a beautiful box that helps keep your cigars in perfect condition. The spanish cedar stabilizes at 70% RH, which is perfect for your cigars. It would be a shame to make a box that hurt your cigars, right?:w


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## Arcrist (Jan 15, 2006)

Yeah but Im on a budget, and cigars are expensive enough to have to get some spanish cedar boxes now. I dont see why a humidifier wouldnt keep a small box like the one im making at high humidity, regardless of wood type. But what do I know hehe, im working on a work-bench next, already got the plans made.


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## 17Crash (Jan 21, 2006)

What about in a wine cooler (no wood)? Will no wood at all hurt the cigars if I keep them in their original boxes?


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## kansashat (Mar 13, 2004)

17Crash said:


> What about in a wine cooler (no wood)? Will no wood at all hurt the cigars if I keep them in their original boxes?


As long as you have your cigars in cedar boxes, they will be fine.


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## LT Rich (Sep 7, 2005)

Does everyone here line their cooladors with cedar too? I dont know if cedar is a must... but it sure doesnt hurt. I would be afraid of any odors from the cherry wood getting to the stogies. If you go to your local tobacconist he will most likely sell you old stogie boxes for less than $5 if anything at all. Break those down and line your box with them, it will only cost you another $10 max and make your project a lot better... Just my 2 cents.

LT :gn


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## King Cat (Dec 10, 2005)

I would wager a guess that most guys don't have their coolidors lined with cedar. I think it's kind of silly UNLESS you're going to store some of your cigars outside their box. The key, if you're not going to line your coolidor, wine cooler, or any humi for that matter with cedar, is be sure to keep your cigars in the boxes. I have a big cooler and I store all my cigars in their original boxes. Therefore, there is a LOT of cedar in that cooler. 

Arcrist - I would agree with the guys above and strongly recommend you putting some cedar in your humi unless your going to store the cigars in a box within your humi. Getting pieces of cedar isn't that expensive (and can be free if you get them from old cigar boxes), so it shouldn't break the piggy bank.  

Post pics of your new humi when you get a chance! I'd love to see it!


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## c2000 (Oct 16, 2003)

Arcrist said:


> Yeah but Im on a budget, and cigars are expensive enough to have to get some spanish cedar boxes now. I dont see why a humidifier wouldnt keep a small box like the one im making at high humidity, regardless of wood type. .


 Well then do it the way you want to..

Jerry in Minnesota


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## diet069 (Sep 17, 2005)

i think the comments about pine are so that the taste/smell of pine does not taint the flavor of your cigars. i don't think i'd chance it. 

i'd say that most folks don't line their coolerdors with cedar. they just use cigar boxes inside the coolerdorcigar.


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## neoflex (Jan 3, 2006)

I agree with the group. Although you say it's not in your budget you will be even more pissed if you start to smoke your cigars and they taste like @ss. Like someone mentioned. Go to your local B&M and pick up a couple boxes. Chances are they will give them to you el free-o, if not prob for a few bucks a piece. Don't be silly. Listen to the more experienced members and do it once and do it right. It will be more expensive in the long run if you have to chuck 50 sticks at $5 a piece, when $5-$20 could have changed the whole outcome. Just my .02!


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## spectre1 (Jan 16, 2006)

for what its worth :2 there are several places on line that sell presliced s/cedar at a very decent price I buy it in rough stock 1-1/4 thick 8" wide x 10 ' long and resaw it to the size I need , but if you dont have the equiptment to do that , like I said you can buy it precut, and dont take this the wrong way but if 20.00 dollars worth of spanish cedar will break the bank then cigars is the wrong hobby to pick up , because your taste will only grow it will never diminish ( can I get a witness!!!!) just my:2


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## Arcrist (Jan 15, 2006)

Ok i will check the local smoke shop for some boxes.

Its taken a little longer than I anticipated on the humidor, its all finished off I just need to build it, thats the easy part. When the poly coat is a little less tacky, ill throw it together. No cigars will go in yet, ill probably let it dry over the next couple weeks.

While it was drying though, I build a work bench! Ill go take pics right now and upload them on geocities. Gimme a few minutes.

Ok heres the pic of my humidor before being built. Stained dark cherry and polyuerothaned - http://www.geocities.com/inferno_cultivator/IMG_1679.JPG

And the pic of my new bench (nothing special but Ive only just started woodworking) - http://www.geocities.com/inferno_cultivator/IMG_1683.JPG


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## spectre1 (Jan 16, 2006)

Two questions. 1 why would you cut, stain and seal the wood before you put the box together. 2 on the work bench is it screwed to the wall ? If not screw another 2x4 on the back side starting on the top right corner running to the bottem left corner, that will keep the table from racking from side to side . which isnt a prob now but if you place something heavy on it , it could go over in a scissor motion.


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## Arcrist (Jan 15, 2006)

It would be difficult to seal a finished box, especially the corners inside, as I stain with a rag not a brush, plus you cant get all sides of each board when its all put together, those unfinished edges take up water.

The bench is not nailed in the wall, and its very sturdy now, though it did cross my mind to put an X bracket on each side between the legs.


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## spectre1 (Jan 16, 2006)

Arcrist said:


> It would be difficult to seal a finished box, especially the corners inside, as I stain with a rag not a brush, plus you cant get all sides of each board when its all put together, those unfinished edges take up water.
> 
> The bench is not nailed in the wall, and its very sturdy now, though it did cross my mind to put an X bracket on each side between the legs.


Im not trying to be an ass , but youve got this thing all wrong. You seal the edges w/ water proof glue , you dont want anything soaking up water and the next time you build one stay away from the poly it take to long to dry and tends to yellow w/ age . at you local hardware store you can purchase a product called DEFT laquer sanding sealer and DEFT laquer top coat , if not deft they will have another brand maybe minwax or olympic but make sure you get LAQUER products not water based and you can buy these products in a spray can once youve stained spray on you sanding sealer which will dry in about 15 mins at 70 dgrs litely sand w/ 220 grit ,wipe clean or blow off w/ airhose if you have one the spray about 3 lite coats of the top coat sanding between each coat and you will have a great looking finish for very little money. Line it w/ the spanish cedar and let that do the soaking up. Oh by the way do the whole process on the inside and out.


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## Arcrist (Jan 15, 2006)

Ok i will look for those this week, I have to make another box for my brothers guns, hes a cop.


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## spectre1 (Jan 16, 2006)

check this out http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18871


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## Arcrist (Jan 15, 2006)

Yeah I saw that in the other post, excellent worksmanship!


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## RumblePen (May 17, 2005)

If you're on a budget, you can't beat a tupperdor. $10 gets you a 75 count (literally 75 toros, churchills, etc)


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## palm55 (Jan 5, 2006)

RumblePen said:


> If you're on a budget, you can't beat a tupperdor. $10 gets you a 75 count (literally 75 toros, churchills, etc)


I would go with Mr. Rumbles.

I, too, have been puttering around with constructing a few humies... In the meantime, my plastic containers (3 from the dollar store) and a few crystal tubes make right-nice temporary quarters!!!


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## Stogiefanatic182 (Oct 28, 2005)

LT Rich said:


> Does everyone here line their cooladors with cedar too? I dont know if cedar is a must... but it sure doesnt hurt. I would be afraid of any odors from the cherry wood getting to the stogies. If you go to your local tobacconist he will most likely sell you old stogie boxes for less than $5 if anything at all. Break those down and line your box with them, it will only cost you another $10 max and make your project a lot better... Just my 2 cents.
> 
> LT :gn


I took the bottom of a cigar box and velcroed it to the bottom of my 9qt cooler.


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